Rail-lift.



No. 880,344. PAFI'N'IED FEB. 25, 1908.

T. J. WASSER.

RAIL LIFT.

APPLICATION FAILED JUNE 12.1906.

22 2- 22 2/ 5w @il Jam 5/ A0/U5 OF DFH SPAN/ )UNITED STATES PATENT OEETOE.

THOMAS JAMES WASSER, or JERSEY oITY7 NEW JERSEY.

RAIL-LIFT.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 25, 1908.

Application filed June l2. 1906. Serial No. 321349- T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS JAMES WAS- SER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRail- Lifts, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for securing a continuous line of rail between the terminals of different lengths thereof.

Its organization comprises .a rail lift which with its appurtenances, forirs a continuous line of rail for a wheel at the ends of a pair of rails. A

The invention in the accompanying drawings is shown with the approach and draw of a bridge. A

Figure 1 represents a plan view of the rail lift and its appurtenances, I ig. 2 shows a section of Iiig. 1 on the line 2, 2, Iig. 3 is a right hand end view of .t ig. 1, l` ig. 4 is a section of Fig. l on the line 4, 4, I ig. 5 represents a section of Fig. 1 on the line 5, 5, Fig. 6 shows a section of fig. 1 on the line 6, 6, rig. 7 represents a Section of Iig. 1 on the line 7,

7, Fig. 8 is a section of Fig. 1 on the line 8,8,

Fig. 9 represents a bottom plan view of Fig. 1, and Fig. 10 Shows a plan view of a pair of rail lifts with their accompanying rails, applied to the approach and draw of a bridge.

A rail lift 2() is shown with the upper longitudinal ilat portion 21 ofthe tread of a wheel to roll on, and a longitudinal groove or depression 22 for the flange of a wheel. Near the swinging end 23 of the lift the flat portion 21 is narrowed as shown at 24, and at the other end both sides of'the lift are narrowed as shown at 26 and 27. The end beyond the portion 26 terminates in the narrow portion 28. y

The lift is supported in the stationary frames 30 and 31. The said frames extend upwardly atftheir sides and ends to the level of the face of the ilat portion 21 of the rail lift. They are separated as shown at 32 to give the required clearance. There are formed at 33 and 34 iiat surfaces for the face of the tread of the wheel beyond the portions 24 and 26 of the lift. At 35 and 36 there is left sullcient clearance between the lift and the frame to allow for variations due to eX- the lift 20 at 25 and 43 are arcs of circles,

described from the axial. center of the pin 8, and by means of this construction the clearance at these points is always the same, obviating any great gap when the lift is either. up or down.

The frame 30 has formed therein a depression or pocket 44 to support the end of the rail lift, and a depression or pocket 37 in the frame 31 also constitutes a support for the Said lift. In the latter frame is formed an opening 38 for` the end 28, and a journal pin 39 supported in the frame 31 carriesthe right hand end of said lift and allows it to swing. In the opening 38 below the lift is journaled the bent lever 40 on the pin 41. The end of said lever carries the roller 42 which can be made to bear against the bottom face of the lift. The Ijournaled end 28 of the lift fits closely at its sides and end to the frame 31, so as to form as little clearance as possible. The frame 30 beyond the line 50 is made to conform to the ordinary section of the rail used, and thev frame 31 beyond the line 51 is made to conform to the same section. The ends of the frames are beveled or mitered as Shown at 52 and 53. Lugs 54, 55 extend from thel frame 30, and lugs 56, 57 and 58- portion 34 of the frame, it also bears on the narrow portion 26 of the lift, and at the joint 25 is supported by the narrow portion 27, preventing jar. While the wheel is passing the joint 25 it is supported on the flat portion 34 of the frame 31, When the tread of the wheel passes the joint 36 it is Supported on the flat portion 21 of the lift and the edge of the frame 30, and when the wheel passes the joint 35 it is supported on the flat portion 33 of the frame 30.' It will be evident that during the passage of the wheel over any of the joints, a flat bearing is at all timesl presented for the tread of the wheel.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. The combination in a rail lift having a longitudinal flat upper surface and the ends thereof narrowed, a frame surrounding the vformed in one of the frames for supporting the swinging end of the lift, the upper edges of the frame being on the same level with the Aupper Surface of the lift.

3. The combination in a rail lift of a pairl of frames surrounding said lift, and the upper edges ofthe frames on a level with the upper surface of the lift, a pin joining one end of the lift and one of the frames, a pocket formed in one of the frames for supporting the swinging end of thel lift, a lever fulcruined in one of the frames and arranged to bear against the lift to raise the same.

4. The combination in a rail lift having a longitudinal-fiat upper surface and a longitudinal depression adjacent to said surface, the ends of the lift being narrowed, a pair of frames Surrounding said lift with their upper Surfaces on a level with the upper Hat surface of the lift, a pin joining one end of the lift with one of the frames, pockets formed in the frames for supporting the swinging end of the lift, a lever fuleruined in the frame under the lift, a roller j ournaled in the lever and arranged to bear up against the lift.

5. lhe combination in a rail lift having a longitudinal flat surface, frames surrounding the lift, a pin in one of the frames to forin a hinge between the lift and saidjfraine, joints between the lift and one of the frames formed ywith ares described from the axial line of the said pin, and the upper edges of the frame on the saine level with the iat upper-surface of face, and a pin in the frame for joining the lift therewith. j

7. The combination in a rail lift of a pair of frames surrounding said lift, the upper edges of the frames on a level with the upper Surface of the lift, the ends of the frames narrowed and having miter edges, a pin oining one end of the lift and one of the frames, joints between the lift and frame formed with ares described from the axial line of the pin, a pocket formed in one of the frames for supporting the swinging end of the lift, a lever fulorurned in one of the frames and are ranged to bear against the lift to raise the same.

Signed at Jersey City in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey this 1st day of June A. D. 1906.

THOMAS JAMES WASSER..

Witnesseskr"y DENNIS B. RYAN, HUGH A. KELLY. 

